Applications of oxide hardmasking in metal dry etch processors

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a method of oxide hardmasking in metal dry etch processors. It consists of two steps: the step of dry etching an aluminum copper alloy layer by using an etch gas composed mainly of boron trichloride/chlorine/fluoroform/nitrogen, and the step of removing etch remnants by using a vapor plasma. The function of the etch gas is to etch the aluminum copper alloy interconnection pattern in the semi-conductor, and the function of the vapor plasma is to prevent the corrosion of a chip during the process of removing etch remnants, which will further reduce water rinsing and solution cleaning as in conventional practice, of water rinsing and solution cleaning after removal of photoresist.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/293,805 filed May 24, 2001 and Taiwanese Patent Application No. 90128123 filed on Nov. 13, 2001.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] This invention relates to a method of oxide hardmasking in metal dry etch processors. It consists of two steps: the step of dry etching an aluminum copper alloy layer by using an etch gas composed mainly of boron trichloride/chlorine/fluoroform/nitrogen, and the step of removing etch remnants by using a vapor plasma. The function of the etch gas is to etch the aluminum copper alloy interconnection pattern in the semi-conductor, and the function of the vapor plasma is to prevent the corrosion of a chip during the process of removing etch remnants, which will further reduce water rinsing and solution cleaning as in conventional practice, of water rinsing and solution cleaning after removal of photoresist.

[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0005] In a conventional metal interconnection method, the metallized and photoresist-coated chip must first be microfilmed in order to transfer the interconnection pattern inside the metal of the light mask to the photoresist, which is then followed by a dry etch process using chlorine as the primary etch gas to thoroughly remove the metal layer of the chip that has not been coated with photoresist.

[0006] The remaining photoresist is then removed by dry etching, or wet etching, or both dry etching and wet etching. The next step is to deposit the protected layers of the circuit and components of the chip (passivation). The entire structure of the integrated circuit will then appear, as shown in the flow chart of Figure I.

[0007] According to the above process, the conventional aluminum copper alloy etching method uses an etch gas composed of chlorine/boron trichloride/nitrogen, or chlorine/boron trichloride/fluoroform. However, due to increased integration and continued shrinking of the line width—for example, to 0.15 mm or less—in semi-condutor components today, the selectivity rate of this etch gas to photoresist and aluminum copper alloy will not be high enough, thus causing insufficient photoresist to withstand the action of the plasma, which will result in imprecise transfer of patterns. Therefore, the conventional photoresist has been gradually replaced by the oxide hardmask. Since there is no photoresist passivation source when using the oxide hardmask, the conventional etch gas made up of chlorine/boron trichloride/nitrogen, or chlorine/boron trichloride/fluoroform—whether it is for controlling the etch remnants or profile—will not be able to generate the precision required by aluminum copper alloy etch in the narrow line width.

[0008] Moreover, the current aluminum copper alloy etching method, after plasma etching, requires immediate removal of photoresist. Once the photoresist is removed, the chip will be rinsed with water to prevent the corrosion of aluminum copper alloy interconnection by remnants of chlorine and nitrogen. Finally, the wafer needs to be immersed in the solution to further remove the high polymers formed by iso-clinic etching. The wafer has to go through this complicated process before moving into the next processing stage.

[0009] In order to overcome the above shortcomings and to simplify the process, this invention introduces a gas formula that works well with the oxide hardmasking method. By taking the advantages of the changes of the major components of the etch gas, this method helps reduce the occurrence of etch remnants and produce better etch profiles. In addition, the invention also uses vapor plasma during the step of removing etch remnants, which will simplify the complicated process of water rinsing and immersion cleaning after the removal of photoresist, thus allowing the wafer to go directly into the next step for film deposition. As a result, this invention will not only enhance the precision of the transfer of the patterns, but will, due to its simplicity, also shorten production time, reduce production costs, and increase productivity.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The first objective of this invention is to provide a hardmasking aluminum copper alloy etch method suitable for metal dry etch processing that can accommodate the needs of components having a line width of 0.15 mm or less.

[0011] The second objective of this invention is to provide a good selectivity rate, thus enhancing the precision of the transfer of the etch patterns.

[0012] The third objective of this invention is to provide a hardmasking aluminum copper alloy etching method suitable for dry etch processors and photoresist machines. It will save the step of water rinsing and solution cleaning the chip, reducing solution consumption, shorten the production time and increase productivity.

[0013] To accomplish these objectives, the invention applies oxide hardmasking in the metal dry etch processor. It consists of two steps: Step One, the aluminum copper alloy etch processing step, uses the etch gas composed mainly of boron trichloride/chlorine/fluoroform/nitrogen to etch the aluminum copper alloy interconnection pattern of the semi-conductor and to produce unetched remnants because of the improvement of the components of the etch gas, thus achieving the goal of precise control of the etch profile. Step Two uses vapor plasma in the process of removing etch remnants to prevent the corrosion of the wafer by the residual chlorine and nitrogen, which will save the step of immersion cleaning as required in a conventional method after removal of photoresist.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] The present invention will be readily understood by the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals designate like structural elements.

[0015]FIG. 1 illustrates a flow chart of conventional metal etching method.

[0016]FIG. 2 illustrates a flow chart of an application of oxide hardmasking method based one embodiment of the present invention.

[0017]FIG. 3 illustrates a cross section of photoresist components in conventional method.

[0018]FIG. 4 illustrates cross section of components formed by oxide hardmasking based on one embodiment of the present invention. SYMBOLS OF COMPONENTS 31 SiON Layer 32 Dioxide Silicon Layer 33 Photoresist Layer 34 Titanium Layer 36 Titanium Nitride Layer 38 Aluminum copper alloy Layer 40 Hardmasking Layer

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] This invention uses hardmasking as a photoresist in metal etching. It includes employment of etch gas composed mainly of boron trichloride/chlorine/fluoroform/nitrogen in aluminum copper alloy etching. It also includes the step of using vapor plasma to remove the etch remnants. The flow chart of the invention is shown in FIG. 2.

[0020] In this method, the mask used by the component is the hard mask, instead of the conventionally used photoresist. Comparison of the two methods is shown in FIG. 3, “The Cross-Section of the Conventionally Used Photoresist Components”, and FIG. 4, “The Cross-Section of the Hardmasking Component.”

[0021] After sputter plating the metal, the chip is sent to a dry etch processor for aluminum copper alloy etching. Given the poor selectivity rate of the conventionally used etch gas made up of chlorine/boron trichloride/nitrogen or chlorine/boron trichloride/fluoroform, this invention uses boron trichloride/chlorine/fluoroform/nitrogen as major components for the etching gas. Etching in the reaction chamber of this step involves four stages, namely, Breakthrough, Main Etch 1, Main Etch 2 and Over Etch. Conditions set for the four stages are illustrated as follow: 1. Breakthrough Pressure: 6-15 mT Plasma: 400-1000 watt TCP Bias Voltage: 100-200 watt Chlorine: 80-150 s.c.c.m. Boron Trichloride: 80-150 s.c.c.m. Nitrogen: 5-15 s.c.c.m. Fluoroform: 5-15 s.c.c.m. Time: 10-25 seconds 2. Main Etch 1 Pressure: 6-15 mT Plasma: 400-1000 watt TCP Bias Voltage: 100-200 watt Chlorine: 50-150 s.c.c.m. Boron Trichloride: 50-150 s.c.c.m. Nitrogen: 5-15 s.c.c.m. Fluoroform: 5-15 s.c.c.m. Time: Depending on the thickness of aluminum copper 3. Main Etch 2 Pressure: 6-15 mT Plasma: 400-1000 watt TCP Bias Voltage: 100-200 watt Chlorine: 50-150 s.c.c.m. Boron Trichloride: 50-150 s.c.c.m. Nitrogen: 5-15 s.c.c.m. Fluoroform: 5-15 s.c.c.m. Time: Depending on the volume of microloading 4. Over Etch Pressure: 6-15 mT Plasma: 400-1000 watt TCP Bias Voltage: 100-200 watt Chlorine: 80-150 s.c.c.m. Boron Trichloride: 80-150 s.c.c.m. Nitrogen: 5-15 s.c.c.m. Fluoroform: 5-15 s.c.c.m. Time: Depending on the requirements of etching rate

[0022] After the chip goes through the metal etching process in the dry etch processors, as described above, it will be sent to the stripper to remove the remnants. Removal of etch remnants involves three stages, namely, Warm-up, Water, and Passivation. The parameters set for the three stages are as follow: 1. Warm-up Pressure: 7000-9000 mT Plasma: 0 watt TCP Bias Voltage: 0 watt Oxygen: 1500-3000 s.c.c.m. Vapor: 1000-2000 s.c.c.m. Time: 10-30 seconds 2. Water Pressure: 2000-4000 mT Plasma: 0 watt TCP Bias Voltage: 0 watt Oxygen: 0 s.c.c.m. Vapor: 1000-2000 s.c.c.m. Time: 5-30 seconds 3. Passivation: Pressure: 2000-4000 mT Plasma: 2000 watt TCP Bias Voltage: 0 watt Oxygen: 1500-3000 s.c.c.m. Vapor: 1000-2500 s.c.c.m. Time: 60-90 seconds

[0023] During the warm-up stage, the temperature used should be between 200-270° C. The purpose of using high pressure oxygen preheat is to prevent the corrosion of metal by the remaining nitrogen in the aluminum copper alloy etching. Since high pressure oxygen has better heat conductivity, the remaining nitrogen can be removed. The employment of vapor plasma will prevent chip corrosion by the etch remnants. It will also reduce the need of the conventional process for water rinsing and solution immersion and will send the chip directly into the next stage of filming. This will not only enhance the quality of the chip and save production cost, it will also shorten the production period, thus increasing productivity.

[0024] The technology and technical features of this invention have been described above. Nevertheless, those skilled in the art may, based on the principles of this invention, substitute or modify the technology. Therefore, protection of this invention should not be limited to the demonstrations shown in the case examples only, it should also cover all substitutions and modifications based on the same principles, as covered in the following patent claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An oxide hardmasking etch method used for the production of metal interconnection consisting of the following steps: dry etching aluminum copper alloy wire, the etching gas composed primarily of boron trichloride/chlorine/fluoroform/nitrogen; and adding vapor plasma to remove the etch remnants.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of dry etching the aluminum copper alloy wire includes the four stages of Breakthrough, Main Etch 1, Main Etch 2 and Over Etch.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein removing the etch remnants includes the three stages of Warm-up, Water and Passivation.
 4. The method of claim 2 wherein the following parameters in the Breakthrough stage are: Pressure: 6-15 mT; Plasma: 400-1000 watt TCP; Bias Voltage: 100-200 watt; Chlorine: 80-150 s.c.c.m.; Boron Trichloride: 80-150 s.c.c.m.; Nitrogen: 5-15 s.c.c.m.; Fluoroform: 5-15 s.c.c.m.; and Time: 10-25 seconds.
 5. The method of claim 2 wherein the following parameter in the Main Etch 1 Stage are: Pressure: 6-15 mT; Plasma: 400-1000 watt TCP; Bias Voltage: 100-200 watt; Chlorine: 50-150 s.c.c.m.; Boron Trichloride: 50-150 s.c.c.m.; Nitrogen: 5-15 s.c.c.m.; Fluoroform: 5-15 s.c.c.m.; and Time: Depending on the thickness of aluminum copper.
 6. The method of claim 2 wherein the following parameters in the Main Etch 2 Stage are: Pressure: 6-15 mT; Plasma: 400-1000 watt TCP; Bias Voltage: 100-200 watt; Chlorine: 50-150 s.c.c.m.; Boron Trichloride: 50-150 s.c.c.m.; Nitrogen: 5-15 s.c.c.m.; Fluoroform: 5-15 s.c.c.m.; and Time: Depending on the volume of microloading.
 7. The method of claim 2 wherein the parameters of the etching stage are: Pressure: 6-15 mT; Plasma: 400-1000 watt TCP; Bias Voltage: 100-200 watt; Chlorine: 80-150 s.c.c.m.; Boron Trichloride: 80-150 s.c.c.m.; Nitrogen: 5-15 s.c.c.m.; Fluoroform: 5-15 s.c.c.m.; and Time: Depending on the etching rate.
 8. The method of claim 3 wherein the parameters of the Warm-up stage are: Pressure: 7000-9000 mT; Plasma: 0 watt TCP; Bias Voltage: 0 watt; Oxygen: 1500-3000 s.c.c.m.; Vapor: 1000-2000 s.c.c.m.; and Time: 10-30 seconds
 9. The method of claim 3 wherein the parameters in the vapor Plasma stage are: Pressure: 2000-4000 mT; Plasma: 0 watt TCP; Bias Voltage: 0 watt; Oxygen: 0 s.c.c.m.; Vapor: 1000-2000 s.c.c.m.; and Time: 5-30 seconds.
 10. The method of claim 4 wherein the parameters in the Passivation stage are: Pressure: 2000-4000 mT; Plasma: 2000 watt TCP; Bias Voltage: 0 watt; Oxygen: 1500-3000 s.c.c.m.; Vapor: 1000-2500 s.c.c.m.; and Time: 60-90 seconds. 